Automatic grain-measure



(No lodel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. s. E GROSHAW. 7 AUTOMATIC GRAIN MEASURE. No. 355,064. Patented Dec. 28, 1886.

. f; W ii WITNESSES: L A t lgmvnmon: MW? iwz mwi BY JLwn w ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) '2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

s. E. GROSHAW.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN MEASURE.

N0.355,064. Patented e0.28,-18

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WITNESSES INVENTOR M 42/6 M BY g M S ATTORNE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL E. OROSHAW, OF THREE OAKS, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN-MEASURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,064, dated December 28, 1886.

Application filed March 24, 1886. Serial No..l96,374. (No model.) Y

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL ELwooD CR0- SHAW, of Three Oaks, inthe county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Graiirhleasurer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to machines adapted for measuring grain or other substances or material of any kind fed through a spout or chute from thrashing-machines, clover-hullers, elevators, or barges and ships; and theinvention has for its principal object to provide a simple, durable, and inexpensive machine of this class, by which grain or other substances may be measured by weight or stroke measure, as may be necessary or desirable.

The invention consists in certain novel fea tures of construction and combinations of parts of the measuring-machine, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved grain-measurer, with parts broken away and its supporting-frame in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional elevation of the grainmeasurer, with parts broken away; and Fig. 3 is a detail view in larger size of parts of the registering or tally device of the measurer.

The main frame A, in which the measurerv has support, may have any approved construction according to the particular location of the machine. The frame B, in which the grain-box G is supported, is attached to a cross-piece, a, on the main frame A, and has a downwardlyflaring general form to give room for the tilting box 0, and to the frameB there is attached a grain spout or chute, D, the flexible neck (Z of which extends downward within the box E, which I call the stroke-box, and through which the grain is discharged or conducted into the grainmeasuring box 0, as presently explained. To the lower bars, I), of the frame B there is at tached a suitable funnelshaped receiver, F, which receives the grain from box 0, and may have any suitable hooks or clamps at its contracted lower end to support bags, into which the measured grain or produce may fall directly from the measuring-box (l, to save time by avoiding a further or second handling of the grain in bagging it.

The stroke-box E is hung by bails G G from the opposite arms h h at the forked inner end of the weigh-beam H, which is hung or supported on knife edge bearings, at h, in cross pieces or blocks a a, fixed to the main frame A, and is provided with a counterpoise-weight, I, which balances the stroke-box E and the empty grain-box O and the registering mechanism connected therewith, and presently explained. A weight, J, on the beam H may be shifted along the beam to determine the quantity of grain to be admitted to the grainbox 0 prior to each tilting movement of said box.

The ends 6 e of the strokeboxEare extended below the main body of the box, and the opposite side gudgcons or journals, 0 c, of the box G-which are fixed to box O-are fitted loosely'in the ends 6 c of box E, and whereby the grain-box may swing freely on its journals 0 c in the stroke-box ends and below the body of the stroke-box. is struck on an are or radius having the gudgeons c c as a center. The opposite sides a e of the stroke-box do not extend to the curved top of the measuring-box O, and to said sides are held the stroke-plates E which are shown with slots 0 through which bolts or screws 6 are passed into the box E, to hold the plates E thereto and allow their lower edges, 0, to be set quite closely to the top of box 0 for sweeping or striking off the grain at or even with the top of the box from the full compartment thereof into its empty compartment, or allow the plates E to be set with their stroke-edges 0 above the top of the box 0 when damp swelled grain or loose light grain is to be stroke-measured, and whereby the compartments of the box 0 may be overfilled more or less to give heaped-up measure which will weigh one-half bushels weight in each compartment of the measuring-box, as this box tilts to allow each compartment to be filled, as hereinafter more fully explained. The compartments 0 O" of the box 0 each hold, when stroked off even with the top, a halfbushel of clean dry grain. tion, 0 divides the grain-box G into the compartments O 0 above mentioned, and from The top 0 of the grain-box ICO A vertical partieach compartment there is an outlet, K, at or near the bottom, and from which the weighed or stroke-measured grain or produce escapes to the receiver F, when a heavy lid or cover, L, hinged to the edge of the box, swings open by its gravity as the grain box tilts to open the outlet. (See Fig. 1.)

A cranked rod or shaft, M, pivoted at its upturned ends ,at m m to the bars of the frame B, and pivoted at n a in lugs N N fixed to the bottom of the grain-box 0, allows the box to tilt as it falls by the weight of the grain in it, and also holds the grain-box with the compartment to be filled directly under the stroke-box prior to the next tilting of the grain-box.

A plate, 0, is fixed to the stroke-box E,and exteudsdown at one side of the grain box 0, and to this plate 0 is fixed a sleeve or collar, 0, through which the gudgeon c of the grainbox passes loosely on its way to the end 6 of the strokebox, in which the gudgeon is journaled, and on the collar 0 there are fitted for independent rotation the two register-dials P R, having peripheral teeth 1) 1', respectively, and the inner larger dial,P,has one deep notch, S, between two of its teeth 1), to allow bot-h the dials to be moved together the distance of one teeth ,by al'pawl, T, which is pivoted at t to the lower part of a lever, U, which is pivoted at a to the adjacent end, 6, of the stroke box IE, and has a forked lower extremity, V, the notch of which is entered by a tappet, XV, fixed onto the adjacent rocking gudgeon, 0, of the grain-box.

An index-finger or pointer, X, fixed to the end 6 of the stroke-box E, extends toward the series of numbers at the teeth of the dials P B. Each of the dials has one hundred teeth, and the dial It will be turned the distance of one tooth for every complete revolution of the dial P by the engagement of the pawl T with a tooth, r, of dial B when the pawl enters the notch S of dial P.

The operation is as follows: KVe will suppose the grain-boxO is tilted to bring its lefthand compartment 0 under the spout d, as in dotted lines in Fig. l, to measure by weight in said compartment first. The register-pawl T then will stand at the base of a notch between two of the teeth of dial P, and the pointer X will indicate or stand in line with or slightly behind the numerals 100 011 both dials, P It. As the given weight of grain or produce enters the compartment 0 the grainbox 0 and stroke-box E will overbalance the weight J on beam H and will fall, and the box 0 will automatically swing over on its trunnions a c, as in full lines in Fig. 1, as the cranked rod H swings over to the position shown in full lines, and whereby the compartment 0'' will be held in position to receive the grain from the spent (2, and the grain will discharge from the compartment 0 as its cover L swings open, and the boxes 0 Ewill be raised by the weight J as the compartment 0 empties the grain into the receiver-F. As the box 0 had swung over to place its compartment 0 below the spout (Z, as above described, the tappet W had swung the pawl-lever U to carry the pawl T forward one tooth on the dial P, where the pawl rests until the box again falls as the given weight ofgraiu fills into the compartment O and as the box tilts back again to the position indicated in dotted lines the cover L of compartment C will open to allow discharge of the grain from said compartment, and at the same time the tappet W will swing the le ver U and pawl T to move the dial P around the distance of one tooth, and the numeral 1 011 said dial then will come into line with the pointer X, indicating that the contents of both compartments of the grain-box has been weighed and discharged, and if the quantity admitted to each of the compartments measures one-half bushel, the register-pointer will indicate that one bushel has passed into and through the grain-box. \Vhen ninety-nine bushels have been weighed or measured, and as the one hundredth bushel is being weighed or measured, the pawl Twill fall into the deep notch S of the dial P and will engage one of the teeth 9" of the dial B, so that as the last half-bushel is discharged the dial R will indicate with the dial P by the pointer X that one hundred bushels have been weighed or measured; and the dial R will not be moved again until the dial P has been moved entirely around to bring the deep notch S again to the pawl T, and the next tilting movement of the grain-box will turn both dials again, and a weight or measurement of two hundred bushels will be indicated by the pointer X on the dials. \Vhen the dial R shall havebeen turned entirely around by moving one tooth for each complete rotation of the dial P, ten thousand bushels will have been weighed or measured by the apparatus. Each time the box 0 tilts over to the position for filling the compartment 0*, and vas shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the figure or fraction '5 on the face of the box 0 will appear directly opposite pointer X, to indicate that one-half bushel more than the dial shows has been measured; hence a correct tally is had should the measuring stop at any time after the compartment 0 has been filled.

If the grain or other substance is to be measured entirely by stroke, the weight J will be set far enough out on the beam H to hold. the grain and stroke boxes up until after a compartment of the box 0 has been filled and a little grain collects in the stroke-box E, and as the grain-box C tilts either way one of the lower edges, 0*, of the stroke-box E will sweep or strike off all the grain above the compartment last filled into the other empty compartment then presented to the spout to be filled, as will readily be understood.

By making the outlets K of the graiirbox of suitable size, any kind of produce or substance may be weighed and measured and discharged.

IIO

- substantially as shown and described, whereby Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A grain-measurer constructed with a supporting-frame, a weigh-beam hung thereon, weights 011 the beam, a stroke-box hung on the beam,and a tilting grain-box hung from the stroke-box, and said stroke-box adapted to strike off the substances at the top of the grainbox as the latter tilts beneath the stroke-box,

substances may be measured either by weight or stroke, as set forth. I

2. A grain-measurer constructed with a supporting-frame, a weigh-beam hung thereon, weights on the beam, a stroke-box hung on the beam, and a tilting grain-box hung from thestroke-box,'and said strokebox adapted to strike off the substances at the top of the grain-box as the latter tilts, and adjustable stroke-plates, as at E", held to the strokebox,

substantially as shown and described, whereby substances may be measured either by weight or stroke, and the stroke measure may be regulated at will to fill or overiill the compartments of the grain-box, as set forth.

3. A grain-measurer constructed with a supporting frame, A, a weigh beam, H, hung thereon, weights on the beam, a stroke-box, E, hung from the inner end of beam H, a grainbox, 0, having two compartments, 0 Ci, and hung on the stroke-box, and the top of box 0 curved from the axis of motion of the box and adapted to swing closely to the ends e e of the opposite sides of the box E, and said box 0 provided with outlets K, and self-closing covers L for each compartment, substantially as shown, and for the purposes herein set forth.

4. A grain-measurer constructed with a supporting-frame,aweigh-beam, H, hung thereon,- a stroke-box, E, hung on beam H, a tilting grain-box, 0, having two compartments, 01C", and hung on, gudgeons c c to the stroke-box, the top of box G being curved from its center of oscillation and adapted to swing closely to the ends 6 e of the opposite sides of the box E, and a cranked rod, M, pivoted at m m to a relatively fixed frame and at a a to the tilting grain-box, and said grain-box having outlets and seltclosing lids thereover, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

5. In a grain-nieasurer, the combination, with a frame, A, a, weigh-beam, H, a strokebox, E, and tilting grain-box G, hung on the beam, and said box G having two compartments, 0' 0 provided with outlets and selfclosing covers therefor, substantially as speci fied, of a dial, 1 and a smaller dial, B, there over, both dials supported from the stroke-box E, and having teeth p r, respectively, and said dial 19 having a deep notch, S, a lever, U, pivoted at a to box E, and having a forked lower end, V, a pawl, '1, pivoted to lever U, and adapted to engage the teeth 1) S r of dials P R, and a tappet, WV, on the shaft or gudgeon of the tilting box 0, and acting in the end V of lever U, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

6. In a grain-measurer, the combination, with a supportingfraine, A, weigh-beam H, stroke-box E, and tilting grain-box C, arranged and operating substantially as specified, of dials I? R, held to box E, and having peripheral teeth 1) S r, alever, U, pawl T, and tappet \V, and a pointer, X, fixed to box E,

and indicatin g the quantity of material weighed or measured in box 0 by graduations on the dials P R, substantially as herein set forth. SAMUEL E. OROSHAW. Witnesses:

BRUcE Pnnnoox, WM. K. SAWYER. 

